Graduation Ceremony 2026: “The Mainis” leave the Stage!
On Friday, 10 July 2026, the time had finally come: The graduating class of 2026 at Realschule Grünstraße celebrated their special day together with their families and teachers. Under the motto “The Mainis”– inspired by the idea of main characters – the spotlight was firmly on those who mattered most that morning: Our graduates of 2026.
The ceremony was hosted by Isabelle Schmohr (10a) and Fabian Gorzolka (10b).
The Speech by the Principal
After each class entered to individually selected songs, our Principal, Ms. Osman, officially opened the ceremony with her address to the graduating class. She reflected on the past school years, acknowledged the students' achievements, and encouraged them as they embark on the next chapter of their lives.
The conclusion of her speech was particularly moving:
In recognition of the cultural diversity within our school community, she bid farewell to the graduates with words of encouragement and best wishes in several different languages. This special moment highlighted what makes Realschule Grünstraße so unique: A place where people from a wide range of backgrounds learn, grow, and shape their future together.
Violin Performance by Shivam
Following the Principal’s address, the ceremony continued with a musical performance.
Shivam (Class 10a), accompanied by Ms. Lingemann on the piano, performed “Concertino in G Major, Op. 11” by Ferdinand Küchler, creating a special moment of calm and reflection. With great expression and musical sensitivity, the two performers filled the auditorium with beautiful music and provided a graceful transition between the speeches.
The Speech by the Student Council (SV)
Afterwards, Yaren and Leon, representing the Student Council (SV), addressed the graduating class with personal words.
With humour, gratitude, and many shared memories, they looked back on their years at school together. Their heartfelt speech created many touching moments and highlighted the friendships, experiences, and stories that had shaped the past years.
Videos: Looking Back on Our Time at School
The programme item “Looking Back on Our Time at School” also brought many memories back to life: Each class presented a self-produced video featuring clips, photos, shared experiences, and special moments from the past school year.Whether it was class trips, excursion days, Motto Days, breaks, or countless lessons – all these small and big moments made their time at school something truly unique, captured and preserved in the form of these films.
The Speech by the Class Teachers
A special highlight of the ceremony was the speech by the class teachers, which was designed very differently from the usual format. Instead of a traditional address, Mr. Maack, supported by the other class teachers, presented a magic trick in the form of a puzzle. Piece by piece, the puzzle was put together, illustrating that every stage of life has its own place.
A seemingly plain white puzzle piece represented the shared time at Realschule Grünstraße: class tests and exams as well as friendships, class trips, shared laughter, Motto Days, and all the memories that shaped everyday school life. With each additional puzzle piece, new stages of life were added, including vocational training or upper secondary school, careers, family, and many other experiences.
The message was as simple as it was touching: Even when life becomes increasingly full and everyday routines sometimes leave little time to pause, the memories of school remain a lasting part of one’s personality. Sometimes all it takes is stepping back and changing perspective to realize that all these experiences continue to have their place. A particularly fitting thought was:
“Even when life sometimes seems so full, the impossible can become possible – you just have to try.”
The Presentation of Certificates
The highlight of the ceremony was the official presentation of certificates. With great applause, the students took to the stage one last time as classes and received their graduation certificates. Proud parents, happy teachers, and beaming faces showed the importance of this special moment for everyone involved.
After all certificates had been presented, the respective top-performing students of each class (Shivam Kumar Rao, 10a; Leon Mustafa, 10b; Florian Straub, 10c; Hanifa Hanan, 10d) were honoured once again on stage by Ms. Osman with a small gift.
Hanifa Hanan achieved an outstanding grade average of 1.3, making her the top student of the entire year group.
The Top Students of Each Class: Hanifa Hanan (10d), Florian Straub (10c), Leon Mustafa (10b) und Shivam Kumar Rao (10a)
At the following reception in the foyer, people laughed, congratulated one another, and looked back on their shared time together. Many conversations took place, memories were captured in photos, and there was certainly the occasional farewell tear.
Following the official school part of the graduation ceremony, the classes celebrated their graduation together with their teachers in the evening with food, drinks, and a festive atmosphere.
Special thanks go to...
the support association of Realschule Grünstraße for the funding,
the Harbecke and Eren families for their culinary support,
Ms. Machholz for photographing the ceremony,
the Year 9 students for the drinks and snack service,
and Ace and Luisa L. for designing the invitation card.
